Is workplace culture delaying your report?

Many people sustain injuries on the job every day, including teachers, laborers, office workers, nurses and many others. In quite a few places in California, the workplace culture is open, transparent and supportive.

Unfortunately, it can be different at other work environments. If you have been injured and are afraid to file an injury report with your employer, know that you are not alone. Here are common reasons that keep potential filers on the fence:

Others being fired

When other people have been fired for apparently making injury and workers compensation reports, it can, naturally, give you pause about filing your own claim. You may hope the injury is not as serious as it seems and try to find ways to work through the pain.

Lack of support

Perhaps injured employees at your company do not get fired, but they do get demoted or ridiculed. Perhaps there are comments such as, “He’s too weak to work here,” or injured workers are constantly teased.

Pressure tactics

Pressure tactics are another way that your employer might show lack of support. Perhaps employees are not yet cleared to return to work, but employers keep pressuring them to. The company could say things like you need to hurry back or your job might be filled, or that your injury is not really that serious and there is no reason you cannot return to work.

Lack of trust

Some companies also undermine their employees by not trusting them. For example, businesses might assert that an injury was faked or happened at home on personal time off the clock. False reports do happen, of course, but a company that continually views all reports with suspicion is not an atmosphere in which many workers would feel comfortable making a workers compensation claim.

In such circumstances, it is understandable that you are waffling about filing an injury report. Legally, employers cannot retaliate against you, and an attorney can ensure this does not happen in your case.